Vinyl lined pools are preferred over poured-in-place concrete pools by many consumers. Vinyl lined pools are typically constructed of a series of prefabricated metal panels which are assembled on site to form the side walls of the pool. The bottom of the pool is a type of concrete that is poured in place after the walls are assembled. A vinyl liner is then inserted into the shell and smoothed against the side walls and bottom of the pool. This method of construction is generally less expensive than building a poured in place concrete pool and can be completed in less time.
Another reason consumers prefer vinyl lined pools is its ease of maintenance. Concrete pools require patching and painting at the beginning of each season, whereas the vinyl liner needs replacement only after many years of use. Also, algae and other organisms are less likely adhere to the vinyl liner making it easier to keep clean.
When the liner is installed into a vinyl lined pool, care must be exercised to make sure that air is not trapped between the liner and the shell of the pool. Air pockets are not aesthetically pleasing and increase the likelihood that the liner will be torn during use. To prevent formation of air pockets during installation of the liner, a vacuum pump is used to pull air out of the space between the liner and the shell while the pool is being filled with water.
Generally, it takes anywhere from one day to two days to fill an average size pool using a garden hose attached to a household spigot. The vacuum pump must continue running during this entire period. If the vacuum pump shuts off or otherwise malfunctions, air pockets will form underneath the liner. Once the pool is filled, these air pockets are almost impossible to eliminate.
Currently, no device exists to ensure continuous operation of the vacuum pump while the pool is being filled. Further, it is not practical to continuously monitor the operation of the vacuum pump while the pool is being filled. Therefore, there is a need for a device that will automatically monitor and control the vacuum pump and water supply during the filling of the pool.